iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

On our final day at RGS-IBG AC26, we have sessions on the geographies of dis/connection, geodatafication, platform economies and the digitalising state. Check ExOrdo for locations and timings. ECRs - final reminder for our interactive workshop on precarity in Higher Education: #RGSIBG26 @rgs.org

The image is a poster advertising an ECR workshop on Friday 4th September at the RGS-IBG Annual Conference, called "giving voice to early career researchers (ECRs): challenges, solidarities and hopes for progress". Below the title, time/date/location, is a cornflower coloured box with details of the workshop. It invites ECRs to attend an interactive workshop to kickstart conversations and actions for solidarity building and hopes for progress.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

🎙️ We’re delighted to welcome Dr Julian Brigstocke as our second panellist for this year’s DGRG Annual Lecture at RGS-IBG AC26. See you in the Ondaajte Theatre on Thursday 3rd, 16:35–18:15 to hear more about @jbrigstocke.bsky.social's work. #RGSIBG26

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

👋 Welcome to RGS-IBG AC26! We have a day of exciting events today, including sessions on the geographies of data centres, digital inequalities, geopolitics and automation. Please check Ex Ordo for locations/timings. We hope to meet some of you there! #RGSIBG26

This is a table of the events scheduled for this week's RGS Annual International Conference. The columns are split according to the 1.5hr sessions, and the rows are split by date (2nd, 3rd and 4th of September). The top is headed by the name of the DGRG and links to their BlueSky, website, LinkedIn, YouTube and mailing list. The background of the header is an assortment of pink and purples. The background of the table is an off-white. The sessions listed include 3 sessions on the geographies of data centres on the 2nd, and a session on bias in AI and the annual lecture on the 3rd. On the 4th, 9 sessions are advertised, including an ECR workshop, and sessions on disconnection, geopolitics and platform economies.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

📣 Calling Early Career Researchers Join the DGRG on Fri 4th during RGS-IBG AC26 for a workshop exploring experiences of precarity in UK Higher Education. We'll discuss opportunities for building solidarity and hopes for progress. Cake provided! You don't need to be a digital geographer to join us!

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

🎙️ We’re delighted to welcome Professor Azadeh Akbari as one of our fantastic panellists for this year’s DGRG Annual Lecture at RGS-IBG AC26! See you in the Ondaajte Theatre on Thursday 3rd, 16:35–18:15 to hear more about @azadehakbari.bsky.social's work 🌍

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

🎊 Just 1 week to go until the @rgs.org RGS-IBG International Annual Conference 2026 in London! We’re excited for 19 co-sponsored sessions on topics from data centres to AI bias, plus the Digital Geographies Annual Lecture & Reception on Thursday. See Ex Ordo for session details. See you there! 🌍

The image is a table with details of the sessions being co-sponsored by the DGRG across the three day conference. It is split across sessions 1-4 (rows) and the day (columns)

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

🚨 Our Annual Symposium is tomorrow! Join us online from 9:45am for a day exploring the digital geographies of fragility, ending with Professor Margath Walker's keynote, The Fragility of AI. Programme & last-minute registration: digitalgeographiesrg.org/9-july-2026-... #DGRGAnnualSymposium2026

The image shows a bio of Professor Margath Walker. The background is pink with a white border. The title reads DIGITAL GEOGRAPHIES RESEARCH GROUP ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM 2026. On the left is a picture of the Professor with curly hair, black glasses and a beige jumper, smiling at the camera. On the right is a QR code to visit the DGRG website. Her bio reads: Margath Walker is Professor of Geography in the Department of Geographic and Environmental Sciences and School of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville. Her research focuses on technology, critical social theory and political geography. Her book, Spatializing Marcuse: Critical Theory for Contemporary Times (Bristol University Press) is the first to develop a geographic perspective in relation to the social philosopher, Herbert Marcuse. She has published widely on the geographies of artificial intelligence, borders and belonging and how social theory can explain current political dynamics. She is currently co-editor of the RGS-IBG Book Series. This is followed by a short call to action: "Register and join us online on 9th July 2026 from 9.45am UK time"

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

👋 Friday spotlight! Last but definitely not least, say hello to Olivia Fletcher @livfletcher.bsky.social (she/her), our Early Careers Representative, supporting and bringing early-career perspectives to the DGRG. 👇 We hope you've enjoyed learning about the committee! #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

👋 Continuing our committee introductions as we head toward the end of the series! Say hello to Richard Müller (he/him), an Ordinary Member on the DGRG Committee. Great to have them involved 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

🥁Continuing our committee introductions… Holly Gowland (she/her) serves as one of our Postgraduate Representatives, supporting and representing postgraduate researchers within the DGRG. She also wins the award for the coolest profile photo - check out her research interests below👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

👋 Now say hi to Jack Lowe (he/him), our Prize Co-ordinator, helping to recognise outstanding research in digital geographies. @jackalowe.bsky.social recommends you check out Pin The Tale (pinthetale.co.uk) and this free mystery game (interment.itch.io/play) to wave Monday goodbye! #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

📣 Rounding off the week with another committee intro… Meet Hope Steadman (she/her), the Social Media Co-ordinator for the DGRG, helping share news, events and (yes) these posts 👇 @hope-steadman.bsky.social #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

👋 Next in the series... Meet Adam Michael Packer (he/him), our Events Co-ordinator. @adammpacker.bsky.social is a familiar face on the committee and does a truly excellent job helping ensure DGRG events are well organised, welcoming and engaging 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

✨ Hello 2026... and welcome back! We're starting the new year with our next committee intro. Please welcome Anna Jackman (she/her), our Treasurer and a great person to have on the team. Happy New Year @ahjackman.bsky.social! 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

🎄 Our final committee intro before the festive break... Meet Maciej Główczyński one of our Ordinary Members and a fantastic part of the DGRG Committee. A lovely note to end the year on, and more to come in the new year 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

💡 In today’s committee spotlight… Please welcome Alfie Greenwood, joining us this year as one of our Postgraduate Representatives. Hi @alfiegreenwood.bsky.social! A new face on the committee helping to bring postgrad perspectives to the table! 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

❄️ Starting the week with another committee intro... Meet our Secretary, Daisy Curtis (she/her) helping to keep everything running smoothly as we head toward the end of the year. 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

🥁And next up… Meet María Cervantes-Macías (she/her), one of our Ordinary Members and a new face on the DGRG Committee this year. We’re excited to have her on board! 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

👋 Today we're introducing June Wang (she/her), our fabulous International Officer. Hello @june-wang.bsky.social! June is an Associate Professor at the City University of Hong Kong, and you can find out more about her research interests in the profile below. 👇 #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

Next up in the series… Say hello to Thomas Dekeyser (he/him), our new Website Co-ordinator, keeping all things DGRG online running smoothly! 👇 @thomas-dekeyser.bsky.social And why not check out the site to see what we're up to: digitalgeographiesrg.org #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

🎉 Meet the DGRG Committee! Over the coming days, we’ll be spotlighting the brilliant humans who keep the DGRG running, including a mix of familiar faces and new members. First up (because someone has to go first)… our Chair, Tess Osborne (she/her/hers)! 👇 @tessosborne.bsky.social #DGRGCommittee

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Welcome to RGS-IBG AC25! We have an exciting lineup of 14 (co-)sponsored session over the next few days, as well as our Annual Lecture & Reception. Join us for conversations across a broad range of topics intersecting the digital. Please check ExOrdo for locations/timings. @rgsibg.bsky.social

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

We warmly invite you to the Digital Geographies Research Group Annual Lecture at @rgsibg.bsky.social AC25 at @unibirmingham.bsky.social Our inaugural lecture will be given by @ahjackman.bsky.social (@uniofreading.bsky.social) on ‘Feminist digital geographies in flight: Diversifying drone stories’

The poster shows a picture of Dr Anna Jackman University of Reading alongside her social media handles for BlueSky and LinkedIn with the title of her presentation ‘Feminist digital geographies in flight: Diversifying drone stories’ and the abstract. The header reads ‘RGS-IBG 2025. Digital Geographies Research Group Annual Lecture. Thursday 28th August 2025, Lecture Theatre 1 - LG19’.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Not long until our RGS pre-conference event: Exploring Place-based Creativity in a Digitally-Mediated World! Featuring workshops + a keynote from @olimould.bsky.social Psychedelics, multiverses and radical creativity: towards an aesthetics of the commons. Register: www.rgs.org/research/ann...

Image is a screenshot of black text on a pale pink background with a plum coloured border in a squiggly line. The text states:
Psychedelics, multiverses and radical creativity: towards an aesthetics of the commons - Professor Oli Mould
This talk explores the potential of radical aesthetics to reawaken political imagination in the face of neoliberal capitalism’s cultural stranglehold and it's ushering in of the fascist horizon. Drawing on Mark Fisher’s unfinished project of Acid Communism, it argues that contemporary art and culture must reclaim the psychedelic, affective, and collective energies of the countercultural movements of the 1960s. This is not to indulge in nostalgia, but to rupture the present’s temporal and ideological capture by financialised capitalism. Central to this argument is the reconfiguration of time: whereas high-frequency trading and extractive logics sever the present from past and future, psychedelic aesthetics reanimate the now as a fertile commons, rich with collective memory and utopian possibility. I aim to critique the complicity of mainstream cultural institutions in sustaining capitalist realism and proposes an ‘aesthetics of the commons’ grounded in mutual aid, proletarianised cultural, digital and analogue production, and multiversal imaginaries. From pandemic-era art activism to the radical temporalities, psychedelic imaginaries and lucid dreaming, it seeks to chart an emergent, insurgent cultural politics that is not about building the future, but refusing capitalism’s version of it, and revelling instead in the shared abundance of the present.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Session 3 is a sonic exploration of a city in transformation, led by Holly Gowland (@unibirmingham.bsky.social). Through a series of spatial compositions, field recordings, and performance, the concert captures the evolving acoustic environments of Birmingham, presenting a tapestry of sounds.

Photo by Luke Matthews on Unsplash. The image shows the Birmingham city cityscape with the Bullring just left of centre in the background, the Rotunda to the left of that, and the Coach Station in the foreground. It is a gloomy, grey picture.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Session 2 is an interactive exploration of the University of Birmingham campus through a location-based narrative-style game, led by Dr @jackalowe.bsky.social (University of West of England). 'Pin the Tale' is a location-based game about connecting with the world around you through stories.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Session 1 is a screening & discussion of the ‘AI in the Street: Drone Observatory’, a short film created & directed by Dr @thaophan.bsky.social (Australian National University) & Jeni Lee. We will be joined online by Thao to discuss their work & the creative practices behind producing the film.

A landscape poster advertising the AI in the Street Drone Observatory short film about drone delivery trials in Logan, Australia. Text below the title and subtitles reads 'Directed by Thao Phan and Jeni Lee'. The image shows a drone deliverying a white package via a cord into the lawned yard of a house, with at least one person looking on from the porch. The logos for the Emerging Technologies Research Lab, Monash University and the University of Warwick are in the righthand corner.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Last week was our Global Digital Geographies Symposium with speakers from China, India, Brazil, Vietnam, South Africa, Iran, the US, UK & more making it our most international symposium! Thank you to everyone who presented work, attended sessions, & discussed emerging ideas 1/3 #DGRGSymposium2025

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

We're now having a very rich discussion between the panel speakers thinking about overlapping themes and interests including conceptualisations of space, bodies, and scales of power #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: showing 5 speakers: left to right: Jack Lowe (chair) who is wearing a grey tshirt and white earphones with a blurred background, Azadeh Akbari who is wearing a white tshirt and has a blurred background, Norma Möllers who is wearing a black top and wearing glasses with a background partially showing a bookshelf, Sam Kinsley who is wearing a white shirt, glasses, and headphones with a blurred background, Mirjam de Bruijn who is wearing a dark blue top and with a bookshelf in the background.

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next is Norma Möllers discussing state violence, digital & infrastructural practices via a focus on privatisation of data extraction in spaces of policing, borders, and war. Norma asks the question about the future of just data in a context of eroding digital sovereignty & racism #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: to the right is an image of Norma Möllers who is wearing a black top, glasses, and hoop earrings. In the background there is a bookshelf. To the left is a presentation slide showing the title 'state of extraction' written in green on a black slide

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Drawing on his work thinking about space @samkinsley.uk proposes a way of thinking in/with space for digital geographers. Sam argues for a pluralistic approach to spacings and understanding how spatial vocabularies & grammars are used: as verb, metaphor, physical imaginary, & more #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: to the right is an image of Sam Kinsley wearing a white shirt, glasses, and headphones. The background is blurred. To the left is the title presentation slide: troubling realities: Thinking space for digital geographies

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next is Mirjam de Bruijn presenting on African Mobile Communities & discusses a range of processes she researches including Cameroonian mobile societies, e-mobilisation in Chad, & e-conflict in West Africa. Such mobilisation of people occurs within the digital beyond the state #DGRGSymposium2025

screenshot of zoom meeting: to the right is an image of Mirjam de Bruijn who is wearing a dark top, drop earrings, and glasses. In the background is a bookshelf. To the left the title slide from the presentation with a title: African Mobile Communities and an image from Mirjam's research

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

First speaker is @azadehakbari.bsky.social discussing Authoritarian Smart Cities focusing on the politics of smart cities via digital development dilemma and authoritarianism. Tech is evolving but securitisation continues & we must consider discourse, practices, infrastructures #DGRGSymposium2025

A zoom screenshot: to the right an image of Azadeh who is wearing a white top and to the left is a screenshot of the presentation slide about authoritarian smart city

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next Oren Yiftachel and Rani Mandelbaum present Smart and/or Just Metropolis? Stratified Digital Citizenship in Beersheba. They are exploring how digitalisation challenges ideas of the just city via data, infrastructure, economic-social, power/politics. #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: to the right are two images of speakers at the top is Rani Mandelbaum with long hair and a dark coloured top and in the background an image of mountains and water. Below is Oren Yiftachel wearing a blue shirt and a glasses. The background is blurred. To the left is a presentation slide showing a map and buildings of Innovation District Be'er-Sheva

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Tom Nairns presents on Placing Africa along China’s Global Development Trajectory: From the Belt and Road Initiative to Chinese Platform Capitalism. Arguing maps tend to show romanticised continuity of the Belt & Road initiative from the Silk Road but is now more Africa-leaning #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: to the right an image of Tom Narins who is wearing a dark red tshirt and glasses. The background is a door and a white wall. To the left is a title slide showing author details, a map of Africa with the Chinese flag, and the title: Placing Africa along China’s Global Development Trajectory: From the Belt and Road Initiative to Chinese Platform Capitalism

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next Next Qinyu Feng presents Hybrid Territorialism: Spatial Differentiation and Digital Control in China’s Surveillance System. China's surveillance system is shown as a multi-scalar, socio-technical assemblage that spans physical and digital spaces with spatial reorganisation #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: to the right an image of Qinyu Feng who is wearing a brown tshirt and glasses. The background is blurred. To the left is a conclusions slide outlining key points about spatial reorganisation and surveillance theories

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

This afternoon Max Münßinger discusses Rethinking Embeddedness? Limits to the Regulations of Digital Capitalism In a review of literature Max shows researcher tendency to territorialise abstract ideas of global digital capitalism through ideas of embeddedness #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: to the right is an image of Max who is wearing a striped tshirt and headphones. The background is a wall and window. To the left is a presentation slide showing the title: rethinking embeddedness? Limits to the Regulations of Digital Capitalism

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Anton Pascual presents Analysis of the 19th Congress of the Philippines Through Digital Tools. Anton examines legislative hearings & actions via Natural Language Processing showing government concerns e.g health & education but no mention of corruption raising questions on action #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: to the right Anton is represented by a letter A with a bright pink background and the A in a white font. To the left is a presentation slide showing the title Analysis of the 19th Congress of the Philippines Through Digital Tools

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next Ayşe Gizem Kılıç and Fatih Eren with their presentation 'Spatial Reflection of Immigrant Density on Digital Platforms and Its Effects on Urban Planning' which discusses how digital platforms shape the spatial traces of immigrant populations and regional development #DGRGSymposium2025

Thumbnail of presenter with discussion of Google maps, Yandex Maps and Instagram

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Omer Ozturk discusses Kill Switch as a Geopolitical Technique: Power, Disruption, and Digital Sovereignty in the Age of Infrastructure. Kills switches are strategic interruption & preventive e.g. Starlink in Ukraine. Raising questions on who decides how & when infrastructure works #DGRGSymposium2025

Zoom screenshot: on right image of Omer who is wearing a white shirt and has short hair. The background is blurred. To the left is a presentation slide outlining conclusion on kill switch, private actors, and rethinking digital sovereignty

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next, Batel Yossef Ravid and Erez Tzfadia give the presentation 'Rescaling Digital Sovereignty: Digital Technologies and the Politics of Territory in Unrecognized Bedouin Villages'. They look at digital displacement and sumud in unrecognised Bedouin villages and politics of territory. #DGRGSymposium

Presenter in thumbnail with PowerPoint screen showing unrecognised villages representing themselves in the digital space

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next Katrina Gaber discusses Online bordering: (Re)creating national borders in digital spaces. Examining how differing policies during Covid-19 from Sweden and Finland created tensions which materialised in online discussions and redrew social borders creating bottom up bordering #DGRGSymposium2025

$Zoom screenshot: on right is an image of Katrina who is wearing a black top and glasses and has long blonde hair. The background is blurred. To the left is an image of the presentation slide which shows two houses with Swedish and Finnish flags and a person sitting looking at a laptop by each house. The two people and houses are divided by a road which is fractured showing the border.$

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Our second day of #DGRGSymposium2025 was begun this morning by our fantastic keynote - Iginio Gagliardone with his talk 'Digital sovereignty and networked sovereignty. A perspective from Africa'

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Next up we've got @ronene.bsky.social with his presentation 'Digital Borderlands: Technological Transformation and Territorial Politics in Divided Jerusalem' discussing how Jerusalem's implementation of digital systems and practices for urban governance #DGRGSymposium2025

shared powerpoint screen with discussion of the project and the thumbnail of the presenter

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

In session 2:1 Anu Masso is presenting on Social Data Migration: Conceptualising Transborder Data Flows as Processes of Social Transformation. Anu proposes the concept social data migration to better understand technical, economic, political, & socio-cultural dynamics #DGRGSymposium2025

zoom call screenshot: to the right is an image of Anu who is wearing a white shirt and glasses. The background is a book shelf. To the left is a presentation slide on data migration research agenda outlining mechanisms, theoretical approach, directions

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

First up in this session, we’ve got Pauline Baudens, with her presentation ‘Reshaping of Women’s Mobility in Highly Constrained Urban Contexts’ discussing how women’s spatial practices are reshaped by the digital, and how experiences of empowerment are shaped by the digital #DGRGSymposium2025

Shared PowerPoint screen which shows a figure which shows the reshaping of spatial practice by mobile digital platforms and a thumbnail of presenter

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Finally, but by no means least(!): Carwyn Morris (SOAS), closed a fascinating first day of the symposium, sharing his work with Yuchen Chen (CUNY) on: 'Xiaohongshu as an Infrastructure: Platforms as infrastructures of Global China' #DGRGSymposium2025

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Our third panellist Prof Alex Preda (Lingnan University), shared his work on: 'The Data-Machine Duality' - 'the concept of "data" and "machine" appear as loosely connected but without clear link... #DGRGSymposium2025

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Jordan Branch (Claremont McKenna College), reflected on: 'Representing Digital Territories' and gave a taste of the forthcoming book 'Virtual Territories'! #DGRGSymposium2025

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Digital Geographies Research Group @dgrgrgs.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Prof Paul Adams (University of Texas at Austin) kicked off the discussion with his presentation: 'State Sovereignty and Personal Sovereignty in an Era of Digital Media' #DGRGSymposium2025

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